Hi Krisssy - I am so sorry to hear that you are suffering so much, and are so miserable.
And wow, what a list of meds! You've been taking all those? I've had to look them up, apart from gabapentin and clonozepam. I think some of the names are different over here in the UK.
If I've got it right - Atarax is an antihistamine; Cymbalta is duloxetine, an SNRI antidepressant used for neuropathic pain; Abilify is an atypical antipsychotic, also used as an add-on treatment for depression; Percocet is a combination of oxycodone and paracetamol. Gabapentin is an anticonvulsant also used for neuropathic pain, and clonazepam is a benzodiazepine. Please correct me if I've got it wrong.
I hope you won't think I am out of order - but could I suggest that you go through these with your doctor? and maybe think about coming off the ones that you know aren't helping? That's a heavy load of meds for your system to be dealing with. It is easy for doctors to just add on something else, without perhaps always thinking about everything that you are already on.
January - that really is a very long time to be waiting for an appointment, I am so sorry it is such a long wait. Maybe one way to think about it - as there isn't anything that can be done to change it - is to think of it as a chance to get all the other options worked out as best you can. Like the meds, for instance. And I think it is an excellent idea to get the scan from Hollis Potter.
I am in the UK, and I am waiting to see a Mr Dixon at Frenchay Hospital near Bristol. He is a pelvic floor specialist, and likes doing laparoscopic work. He also likes sorting out problems with mesh work done by other surgeons, so I really hope he can help me. However, if he can't, I will manage!
CBT is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy - I was referred by my GP to see a psychologist for help with pain management. She helped me a lot, in fact it was seeing her that made everything else click. She also recommended a book to me, and it has become something that I refer to regularly -
Coping Successfully with Pain, by Neville Shone. I can recommend it unreservedly, maybe it will help you too.
NLP is Neuro Linguistic Programming, the technique that I have used the most is re-framing, for me it has been very helpful for dealing with pain spikes. CES is cranial electrical stimulation, again a technique for pain relief, I have used this regularly too. As you can tell, I have been looking into absolutely everything that might possibly help! At the moment, though, I am lucky as things are pretty much under control with Lyrica (pregabalin) and tramadol slow release. I am getting breakthrough pain, but I can cope with that.
If I could recommend just one thing to you, I'd suggest reading that book. I know I keep mentioning it, but I promise I'm not on commission - maybe I should be!
And I do hope that tomorrow is a better day for you.
), i've had all the other pn pain symptoms for almost 3 years so i'm greatful i haven't had the arousal thing the last 3 years too, as it drives me more nuts than what the pain does,it's so bad some weeks that i can hardly think straight.
